Strawberry Confetti Cake and Vanilla From Tahiti Giveaway!

Strawberry Confetti Cake and Vanilla From Tahiti Giveaway!

I have two sweet things for you today! The first is this thoroughly sprinkled strawberry cake. You probably know by now that my heart beats for confetti cakes, and if you're not convinced, I urge you to look here, here, here and here. This strawberry version may be my favorite yet!

The second and possibly sweetest of the two is a generous giveaway from Vanilla from Tahiti! I mean, what would our baked goods be if not for the loving touch of vanilla? It's a necessity! And it's the star ingredient in the Swiss meringue buttercream on this cake. Tahitian vanilla is known to be of the highest quality, and it's used by the finest pastry chefs and chocolatiers in the world. I love using it in my baking, and you will too.

One grand prize winner!

The perfect collection of Tahitian vanilla goodies to
surprise and delight any epicurean.

Vanille de Tahiti book

2 oz. Vanilla Extract

Ground Vanilla Bean

2 Tahitian Vanilla Beans

Vanilla Mustard

Two sampler winners!

This sampler is a convenient way to experience pure
Tahitian vanilla, in it's most popular forms. Perfect for the home chef.

2 oz. Vanilla Extract

Ground Vanilla Bean

2 Tahitian Vanilla Beans

Something for everyone!

Vanilla from Tahiti is giving my readers a 10% discount
on all orders! To access the discount, click here.

I have to say, the Tahitian vanilla beans they sent me to sample are some of the fattest, oiliest, most fragrant beans I've ever tried. They really made the frosting on this cake something special. Just having the split vanilla beans on the counter top made the entire kitchen smell dreamy. Another product that I loved was the vanilla bean powder. I used just a smidgen in my morning coffee, and now I'm hooked! I can't wait to use it in pie crusts and cookies.

I've been doing lots of strawberry cake-testing recently because I'll be making a strawberry groom's cake in May. The first time I made this cake I knew it would be perfect for a sprinkled interior. The batter was just the right consistency to suspend confetti quins evenly throughout the batter, and thick enough to prevent the sprinkles from melting away. The baked cake has a firm, moist texture and every bite or two you'll get the tiny crunch of a strawberry seed to remind you that there's real strawberry puree in the batter.

I chose Swiss buttercream for this cake because it's so silky-smooth and the surface doesn't dry or "crust". This means the frosting remains sticky and I can take my time applying the sprinkles to the sides of the cake. One of the most frequently asked questions I get is "how do you get sprinkles on the sides of a cake?". There are a few different effective methods, but for most cakes I just toss them on with one brisk hand movement. Be sure to place your cake in a pan to catch the excess. You'll still have a few wayward sprinkles, but it makes clean-up much easier.

The strawberry cake is so fragrant - certainly during baking, but also after it's cooled. Add to that the ultra-aromatic and flecked Tahitian vanilla bean frosting, and you just can't miss. It's such a wonderful combination. I hope you'll give it a try!

The first time I made this cake I followed the ingredients to the letter and when I tasted it, the lack of salt in the batter was evident. Even a very small amount can make a big difference in baked goods, so please, don't forget the salt! It really rounds out the flavor of this cake.

If you're measuring the ingredients in cups, be sure to sift the cake flour before measuring. You'll be rewarded with a fluffier cake.

I added a little red food color to the batter to ensure the cake retains a beautiful pink interior; this is optional.

Lining the pans with parchment paper is key. Some of the confetti sprinkles will float to the bottom of the pan and melt against pan's surface as it bakes. This can cause sticking, and parchment lining ensures flawless removal.

Inevitably, someone will ask if the amount of butter is correct in the Swiss meringue buttercream. The answer is yes indeed! 1 pound of butter is correct. They don't call it buttercream for nothin'!

2 cups/390g granulated sugar

3 oz. package strawberry flavored gelatin

1 cup/226g unsalted butter, softened

4 large eggs

2 3/4/225g sifted cake flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup/240ml whole milk, room temperature

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup/4 oz. fresh strawberry puree

1/4 teaspoon red gel food color

1 cup/134g confetti sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 350F/175C.

Grease two 9-inch cake pans or three 7-inch cake pans with vegetable shortening. Line the bottoms and sides of the pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and dry strawberry gelatin until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the batter alternately with the milk. Blend in vanilla extract and strawberry puree. Add the food color, if using, and mix again until consistently pink. Fold the confetti sprinkles into the batter and immediately divide the batter between the prepared pans.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out to cool completely.

Tahitian vanilla beanSwiss meringue buttercream

5 egg whites

1 cup (198g) sugar

Pinch of salt

1 pound (4 US sticks) unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature

Seeds of 1 Tahitian vanilla bean

Confetti sprinkles for decorating

White chocolate-covered strawberries for garnish

Whisk together the egg whites, sugar, and salt in a large heatproof bowl. Set over the simmering water and whisk until the mixture is hot to the touch and the sugar has dissolved.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Increase to medium-high until stiff peaks are formed.

Continue beating at medium-high speed until the mixture is fluffy and has cooled (the mixing bowl should feel cool to the touch).

Turn the mixer off and switch from the whisk attachment to the paddle. Turn the mixer on medium-low and add the butter, a few cubes at a time, beating until well incorporated before the next addition. The egg whites will deflate and thin with the first few additions – don’t let this discourage you – keep going. It may also look curdled, but don’t fret. Beat on high speed when all the butter has been added. The mixture will thicken and become smooth after several minutes of beating. Beat in the vanilla bean seeds.

Transfer about 3/4 cup frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip. Fill and frost the cake layers. I used about 2/3 cup to fill each 7-inch cake layer, or use 1 1/3 cups to fill a 9-inch layer.

To decorate the bottom of the cake with confetti sprinkles, place the cake (on the cake stand/serving plate) inside a large baking pan. Toss a handful of sprinkles onto the cake allowing the excess to fall back into the baking pan. Repeat process around the entire lower circumference of the cake. Brush excess sprinkles off the bottom of the cake plate with a pastry brush. Pipe stars around the top edge of the cake with the reserved frosting in the piping bag. Pipe one large frosting swirl in the center of the cake and garnish with a white chocolate-covered strawberry half.

Store the cake in the refrigerator loosely covered in plastic wrap. Bring to room temperature before serving.

I would love to make Zucchini bread. My nephew (who is not a big veggie fan at all) love zucchini bread and the recipe I use to make it calls for a few tsp of vanilla. Vanilla just makes most recipes pop.

I finally read open worldwide and that got me excited :D This cake looks awesome! All the Sprinkles <3I guess I would try some Vanilla Cupcakes with sprinkles(of course) and a Vanilla Frosting. Keep it simple to get the whole flavor.

So I had a bride on sunday ask me to make her a strawberry cake for her wedding, because she loves duncan hines pink strawberry cake. My first thought was 'I bet Sprinkle Bakes has a good pink strawberry cake recipe'. It is like you read my mind. Thanks so much for the recipe, Ill give it a go this week, and hope it lives up to her boxed cake mix expectations (if not I might just have to cave and buy the stuff instead of making it from scratch).

Pastry cream is always better with vanilla beans, but I am dying to know what the vanilla mustard is all about...

If the vanilla will help me make a cake as pretty as this one, sign me up! What kid (or adult!) wouldn't squeal to get a cake like that?! :) I'd use it the vanilla to make a white cake for my coworker's birthday.

Oh my gosh, that cake is beautiful and delicious-looking! I love strawberries, and this looks amazing. And of course sprinkles make EVERYTHING better! Love your blog, I can tell you so work hard and you are so creative and talented. I would make Bakingdom's raspberry vanilla pie with the amazing-sounding Tahitian vanilla beans, but would probably end up adding it to anything and everything. I love vanilla! (Probably more than chocolate, shhh!)~Maya :):